Despite the unprecedented times, the Astoria winery, in Refrontolo, at the heart of the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene area, wasn’t caught off guard.

Paolo and Giorgio Polegato, brothers and owners of the Astoria Val De Brun estate since 1987, had already begun producing a splendid Rosé Prosecco and were ready to put in on the market following the approval.

Astoria’s Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato Extra Dry Sparkling 2019 arrived in Australia last month, just in time for Valentine’s Day celebrations.

The Rosé is produced with Glera and Pinot Nero grapes grown on 15-year-old vines.

The red grapes are partly vinified separately and with a short maceration, giving the wine its colour, character, scent and body.

The pale pink wine gives a minute and persistent perlage, a rich and elegant floral, fruity bouquet and a mouth-filling taste that’s pleasantly dense and balanced.

To be sure it’s the real deal, consumers must check that the label bears the word “Millesimato”, as well as the vintage, which guarantees that 85 per cent of the grapes in the bottle were harvested that year.

The wine was brought to Australia by Twelvebottles, which has secured a decent supply from the award-winning winery at its headquarters in Thomastown.

Twelvebottles was established by wine connoisseur, Ian (Ignazio) Deiana, in 2005.

From its humble beginnings in Melbourne, it has evolved into a serious player on the Victorian, New South Wales and Queensland wine markets.

The wines imported and distributed by Twelvebottles, mainly selected by Deiana, often come from boutique wineries, with small, particularly sought-after products.

The company goes to great lengths to transport these wines to Australia in perfect condition.

All imported wines travel from wineries in Italy, New Zealand and around Australia in a constant temperature-controlled climate, to ensure that they are at their optimum quality, delivering the taste and scents that truly characterise their origins.

Deiana began his career in the hospitality industry as a waiter, working his way up the ranks to become a maître d’ and then owner of a prestigious restaurant in Toorak.

At Twelvebottles, Deina has built a team that believes the customer comes first and that improving and evolving the business is not just a fad but the very reason for their arriving at work every morning.